Photographer Jamel Shabazz Reflects on the Memories That Shaped His Vision of New York Street Style

When Jamel Shabazz took up photography back in the 1980s, he gave voice to a new generation of young black men who were redefining the look of street-level New York City with their colorful Kangol caps, Adidas shell-toe sneakers, and graphic Cazal glasses. A former corrections officer, Shabazz would wander neighborhoods like Harlem, Brownsville, and the Lower East Side with his camera, approaching strangers who caught his eye, engaging them in conversation, and concluding with a portrait.

For Shabazz, style is more than self-expression; it is an act of resistance, a refusal to be invisible, erased, or diminished. The strength of that vision can be traced throughout his new book, Sights in the City: New York Street Photographs (Damiani), selections of which will be on view at United Photo Industries in Brooklyn, starting May 4. Shabazz, who has worn custom-tailored clothing for 30 years, is just as sharp as his subjects. From his gold-rimmed glasses and butter-leather coats to his two-piece suits and cashmere sweaters, Shabazz has a commanding presence that is counterbalanced by a genuine and gracious smile. Here, the Brooklyn-born photographer reflects on the personal memories that shaped his idea of street style in the city.

Stand Tall and Proud“As an image-maker, I am often drawn to men who display honor and dignity. It may not be based on the clothes a person is wearing, but how the person carries himself. In many cases, it is the honor that is being reflected in how a person dresses or the way a person walks.

Just the other day, I was in Midtown and saw an elderly African-American gentleman decked out in royal blue from head to toe, walking with supreme confidence and dignity down the street. He wore his blue fedora hat like a crown, perfectly matching his custom-fitted, tailor-made suit. His blue-and-white wing tip shoes carried his feet in a manner that had him gliding as he made his way down the avenue.

I observed him for a brief moment, then crossed over a busy intersection to connect with him. Slowly approaching, I said, ‘Brother, now you know I have to capture your legacy; you illuminate confidence and style.’ I went on to tell him how important it was for me to document men of his nature. Appearing to be in his mid-70s, he knew that I understood the hardships he must have encountered coming up in the 1950s and ’60s, a time when black men were being beaten and even killed for displaying such confidence and swag, especially in the South.”

Level Up With Custom Clothes“Back in the 1970s and ’80s, the majority of us wore and bought similar clothes. Delancey and Orchard Streets on the Lower East Side were the go-to places where one could go to get the latest fashion trends, such as sharkskin and gabardine pants, Italian-knit shirts, etc. Those styles of clothing were, without a doubt, fresh and unique, but the individuals who had a little more money and vision opted to go to the tailor and have something uniquely made just for them—a one-of-a-kind outfit. When you saw someone dressed in a tailor-made two-piece suit, you knew he was on another level.

In Brooklyn, there was Moons, a prominent tailor shop operated by Dominicans in Bedford-Stuyvesant. In Harlem, it was the renowned Dapper Dan that took custom tailoring and urban fashion to new heights. When you got something tailor-made, you set yourself in a class by yourself, thus separating the common from the uncommon, or ‘the men from the boys.’ ”

Photo: Courtesy of Jamel Shabazz / Jamel Shabazz: Sights in the City, New York Street Photographs

Strike a Pose“Posing is a paramount part of my overall creative process. Every pose is well thought-out and carefully arranged. With the image Street Photographers of Times Square Pose for a Photo During Some Down Time, these young men were the masters, so I knew I had to create something iconic. I placed them in front of a storefront window littered with various hats, which served as a perfect backdrop. Having posed thousands of subjects in Times Square throughout the ’80s, they knew all the moves. Their body language speaks of confidence, self-awareness, and kinship—so all I had to really do is press the shutter release button.”

Above All, Take Heart“When I was coming up, you might have been poor and didn’t have much, but you took pride in the little bit that you did have. That is where the idea of carrying a toothbrush or cotton cloth came from—in case your sneakers got dirt on them. You didn’t dare to walk outside your home with unpolished shoes, or pants without a perfectly lined crease, unless you were playing some form of sports—and even then, one might go to the ball court looking dapper.

Presentation was a big thing back then, and some folks were ridiculed if they didn’t represent according to the street code. I now realize that it is not so much in the clothes one wears, but how clean a person’s heart and soul is.”